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A UMNS Report
By Joey Butler*

1:00 P.M. ET Nov. 11, 2011

The United Methodist Church has yearned to bring more young people into its pews and its pulpits, and if events of this year are any indication, it may be happening.

The annual report on clergy age trends in the denomination, conducted by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, revealed a 10-year high in the number of United Methodist clergy under the age of 35.

The church holds numerous events throughout the year to reach young people and build stronger relationships. Events like Youth 2011 and Relevance X are designed for various age groups and stages of faith.

Exploration events, sponsored by the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, help young people who feel called to ministry to gain a better understanding of where God is leading them.

Job ministries abound

A main concern of young people the past several years has been the bleak job outlook. To help reach out to those struggling to find work, job ministries have been popping up at churches nationwide. One such ministry at Roswell United Methodist Church outside Atlanta attracts as many as 300 job seekers at its twice-monthly networking events. Many participants are recent college graduates, frustrated that they are now saddled with college debt, cannot find a job to pay off that debt and may wind up living back at home with family.

Roswell’s job ministry provides networking opportunities, support groups, résumé-writing services and even a clothing boutique so people have proper attire for interviews.

“Nobody is designed to go through this job search on their own, to go through life on their own in general,” says participant David Hampe.

A DREAM denied?

During September and October, churches were encouraged to hold DREAM Sabbath services, a national campaign to dedicate time during regular weekly worship services to inform and advocate for passage of the DREAM Act, which gives undocumented students a chance to earn legal status.

DREAMers, as the students have become known, spoke to congregations and asked them to contact their lawmakers to support the bill, opening a portal for them to go to school, join the military and become productive members of society.

A December 2010 filibuster prevented the DREAM Act from going to the U.S. Senate floor for a vote. The House of Representatives had already approved the bill.

Easier path to ordination?

In this tough job market, becoming a United Methodist pastor is one of the last secure jobs left. However, that may be changing.

2011 In Review

View a slideshow with images from 2011

See other year end highlights

See 2011 Milestones

If delegates to the 2012 General Conference approve the recommendations of the Ministry Study Commission, clergy no longer will have guaranteed appointments, but the steps to ordination will get much easier.

If the church’s top legislative body OKs the commission’s legislation, elders and deacons could be eligible for ordination as soon as they complete their educational requirements. After serving a minimum of two years as a provisional elder or deacon, they would be eligible for full conference membership. However, the security of guaranteed appointments would be replaced by various steps to gauge the effectiveness of each pastor’s ministry.

Additional legislation proposed by the Connectional Table would allocate $50 million in church funds as an investment in recruiting and training clergy younger than 35.

*Butler is editor of young adult content for United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.

News media contact: Joey Butler, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.